In recent years, various types of portable computers, such as notebook computers, have been developed. Most portable computers have a wireless communication function in order to perform a wireless communication with an external device such as an Internet server under the mobile environment.
Recently, various wireless communication systems have come into use in increasing numbers. It is now demanded that portable personal computers should have wireless communication modules that work with various wireless communication systems.
PCT International Publication No. 2007/060734 discloses an electronic apparatus that has two communication modules. Each of these communication modules uses two antennas, to receive and transmit data. The electronic apparatus has three antennas, one of which is used by both communication modules. The antenna shared by the communication modules can be connected to either communication module by an antenna changeover switch. When manipulated, the antenna changeover switch connects the shared antenna to one communication module and disconnects the shared antenna from the other communication module.
The more wireless communication modules the computer incorporates, the higher will be the manufacturing cost of the computer. Which communication systems are used to access to the Internet or a similar network usually depends on the user of the computer. In view of this, which wireless communication modules the computer should incorporate may be determined in accordance with the type of computer and the sales territory to which the computer will be shipped.
If the various types of wireless communication systems are allocated to different frequency bands, however, not only the wireless communication modules, but also the antennas must be changed in accordance with the type of computer and the sales territory to which the computer will be shipped. This limits the types of components that can be used in common in the computers of different types or in the computers that will be shipped to different sales territories. Consequently, the use of several wireless communication modules in the computer may raise the manufacturing cost of the computer.